Conviction Comes From the Most Unusual Encounters

A few months before the Walk, I started to recognize that I had an odd feeling regarding the Walk... hard to describe really… not a nervousness exactly… not apprehension… just this feeling like something wasn’t quite right… can’t really explain it. It was weird and more than a little frustrating because I couldn’t figure out what it meant and therefore it remained unresolved. During the Walk, I found the answer I was seeking.

While Walking through one of the residential areas in Berkeley (don’t ask me where... I just follow the signs that mark the route and often have no clue where I am) There was an elderly lady who was leaning heavily on a walker and moving very, very slowly down the sidewalk. Walking was so difficult for her that her feet literally moved just an inch or two with each ‘step’. Her personal attendant was following her, pushing her wheelchair, staying within inches of her should she need to sit down quickly. 

I Walked beside her for a moment and we chatted about what we were doing and why. She was quite excited about it, very thankful for our efforts to help cure breast cancer. I stopped and took one of the necklaces from around my neck and placed it around hers. She looked at the necklace and then up at me and smiled. I said, “There. Now you’re one of us. You are an honorary 3Day Walker.” She said, “Oh, Dear. Dream on. Dream on.” I told her, “We Walk because we can. We Walk for ourselves but we also Walk for others, for those who cannot Walk themselves.” I reached out and touched her arm and smiled and as I went on my way, she said, “Walk an extra mile for me!”

I was Walking alone on Saturday since Pina’s phone wasn’t sending text messages and we hadn’t been able to contact each other to get together. It gave me a lot of time to think. And I figured it out, that feeling I was struggling with.

The restlessness I was feeling in regard to the 3Day was an inner feeling that I could do more, that I needed to do more, in the fight against breast cancer. This was my 4th Walk. I exceeded my fundraising goal of $3,000, which is a great thing don’t get me wrong. But I knew there were other things I could do, things I hadn’t tried yet, that would help me to raise more donations. What was holding me was back the fear most people have, the fear of asking for money. The restlessness I was feeling was a conviction that I need to step outside my comfort zone and ‘kick it up a notch’.

The 3Day Walking season is July through November with the SF Bay Walk smack dab in the middle, in September. Except for next year. In September of 2013, the Americas Cup will be there, leaving no room for us 3Day Walkers and Crew with so many tourists in town for the event. Our 2013 Walk will be in late June. It occurred to me that this would give me the opportunity to Walk twice in 2013. Since the SF Walk will be in June, there would be plenty of time for me to recover physically from it and still Walk a second time in Oct or Nov. Once I looked at the second half of the schedule, my choice was clear -  Tampa Bay.

Two of the Survivors I honor in my Walk each year, Bev and Tricia, live in FL. I have contacted both of them and they will join me in Tampa to cheer me on as I Walk and to share the weekend with me and help me with fundraising so I can get there.

Next year, 2013, will be my 5th year Walking the 3Day. What an awesome way to celebrate and honor that year – with 2 Walks, SF in June and Tampa Bay in Oct!

Once my decision was made and I officially registered for both Walks, that feeling of restlessness and unease disappeared, replaced by a strong conviction and renewed sense of purpose.

I started my 3Day journey because of the women in my life who have faced breast cancer – Aunt Brenda, my Mom, my sister Bonnie, Aunt Rita, ex-MIL Dorie, my grandmother Dolores, coworkers Nancy, Julia, and Ruth, a several friends; Bev, Tricia, Lori, Paula, Robin, Wafa, Kathy, and Tara. Each year the list, sadly, has grown as new diagnoses are made. Somewhere along the line, as my commitment has grown, the scope of my purpose has grown along with it. I don’t think I even realized it until I spoke with the lady I met on Saturday. It was there all along though, even reflected in the way I customized my fundraising page. The title I had put on my page was, “As long as women are fighting for their lives, I will keep walking.”

So as this year’s journey comes to a close, a new journey begins. I must admit that I am still trying to wrap my mind around the amount of money I will need to raise to meet this 2 Walk goal but I’m getting there. I have tons of ideas (and I am very open to any suggestions you all might have!) and I have had offers from several people who want to help me to succeed.

And succeed I shall, for myself, for the women in my life especially my daughter and granddaughters, and for every woman who has or will hear those words, “You have breast cancer.”